Building collapse: Death toll mounts to 4

Madurai, Jul 8 : The death toll in the under-construction building collapse at Chekkanoorani near here rose to four on Monday with the death of one more construction labourer at the Government Rajaji Hospital.

Police said S.Muthupandi (32), who was undergoing treatment at the Accident and Emergency Care Initiative Ward of GRH, succumbed to injuries this afternoon. The roof of the ground floor and first floor of two-storey building under construction caved in killing three labourers A.Kasinathan (45), his son K.Arun Kumar (22) and P Balu (55) on Friday last. A total of seven labourers were engaged in the construction when the building collapsed. Three of them managed to escape after hearing a huge crack sound.

Investigations revealed that the construction was carried out after leveling a well.Chekkanoorani police have registered a case against the owner of the building M.Mathavan (43) under sections 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 304 (punishment of culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC and arrested him. (UNI)